Suspended chain matrix



NOV. 1966 L. D. GRAMES ETAL 3,288,204

SUSPENDED CHA IN MATRIX Filed Dec. 11, 1964 M7- ZZZ/7 United States Patent Ofiflce 3,238,204 Patented Nov. 29, 1966 ware Filed Dec. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 417,581 4 Claims. (Cl. 1655) The present invention relates to improvements in heat exchange apparatus of .the regenerative type, and particularly to an arrangement of heat transfer elements that may be maintained essentially free of deposits by a process that is continuously selfeffecting and may at intermittent intervals be supplemented by a more violent agitation of the heat transfer elements as afforded by auxiliary cleaning means. I

A regenerative heat transfer apparatus of the type herein defined usually comprises a cylindrical rotor divided into compartments in which are positioned a mass of heat absorbent element in the form of spaced metallic plates. Such heat absorbent plates are first exposed to a stream of heating gases to absorb heat therefrom, and then as the rotor turns about its axis, are exposed to the fluid to be heated to impart heat thereto. When apparatus of this type is operated under conditions that promote condensation of moisture in gases or the formation of products of combustion that adhere to the heat aborbent element, deposits on the element soon choke off the flow passageways through the heat aborbent element to thus impair the efliciency of the apparatus. In certain applications where conditions are less severe the energy required to clean conventional heat absorbent surfaces may still be suflicient to neutralize the thermal gain of the heat exchanger.

The principal object of this invention therefore is to provide a heat aborbent element for a regenerative heat exchanger that is adapted for use in applications Where conditions of element fouling are unusually severe.

A further object of this invention is to provide a selfcleaning element for regenerative heat exchange apparatus that is equally effective for rotary or fixed matrix applications.

With this in view the manner in which the invention may be carried out will be best understood upon consideration of the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation of a typical rotary regenerative heat exchanger,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of a rotor that may be utilized in apparatus of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the rotor as seen from line 33 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 4 is a top view of a rotor section showing a modified form of actuating device.

Referring now to the drawings, the rotary regenerative heat exchanger disclosed therein includes a rotor that comprises a rotor shell joined to a rotor post 12 by radial partitions 14 to form a series of open-ended sectorial compartments therebetween. The rotor compartments are each adapted to carry a mass of heat aborbent material that alternately absobs heat fom a heating fluid and gives it up to fluid to be heated. The rotor shell is surrounded by a fixed housing 20 which is provided with paired axially spaced ducts 24 and 26 and 28 and 32 which simultaneously direct the heating fluid and the fluid to be heated to and through the spaced compartments of the rotor. By means of suitable driving means 34 the rotor is continuously rotated about its axis in order that the mass of heat aborbent material carried by the several compartments may alternately be subjected to the heating sequentially moves each grid member 36 fluid and the fluid to be heated. While thus being traversed by the several fluids, the heat aborbent material absorbs heat from the heating fluid and gives it up to the fluid to be heated.

In accordance with the present invention the heat absorbent element comprises essentially a series of elongate chains or chain-like elements 35 that are suspended axially in each compartment from a sector shaped grid member 36. The grid 36 is in turn removably supported on brackets 38 which extend radially along the upper end of each partition 14. The chains 35 hang loosely in their respective compartments and terminate at their lower ends in a plane that extends substantially normal to the adjacent end of the rotor shell. Each grid member 36 is formed with an anvil portion 42 that extends radially outward through a sealed opening in the rotor shell to the plenum chamber 44 in order that it' may be. readily contacted by the spring biased cam-hammer 46 mounted on the rotor housing. The cam-hammer 46 includes a hammer portion which is adapted to strike the anvil 42 when the cam is moved from contact with the anvil in response to movement of the rotor about its axis. While the spring-loaded hammer is adapted to give the grill 36 a sharp jolt or rap in response to movement of the rotor about its axis, the spring means 48 resiliently holds the grill 36 continuously adjacent the rotor shell 10 whereby it may be radially displaced when struck by the hammer 46.

In operation the rotation of the rotor about its axis and its depending chains past the cam-hammer 46. As the anvil moves relative to the cam it depresses the cooperating spring whose energy is released when the cam moves out of contact with the anvil 42. The force of the compressed spring moves the hammer against the anvil 42 with a sharp blow, and the chains 35 depending from the grid 36 are accordingly jarred sufficient to remove deposits therefrom.

The manner in which the anvil 42 is rapped or vibrated is of no special significance to the invention, and the simple cam actuator of FIGURE 3 may be readily replaced by a pneumatic or electric actuated hammer 50 of FIGURE 4 whose actuation is not dependent upon the movement of the anvil relative to a cam. Such apparatus is thus adapted for use with heat exchangers of the type having a fixed matrix and flow control means or valves that selectively direct the flow of fluid over the matrix.

When an anvil 42 and its integral grid 36 is rapped or knocked by means of a hammer apparatus in accordance with the invention, the depending chains 35 are agitated and particulate matter deposited thereon is jarred loose whereby it may be re-entrained in the fluid flowing through the compartment and carried from the apparatus. In apparatus of the type defined herein maximum agitation of each chain is obtained at a point in each chain closely adjacent the linkage with which it is connected to the support grid 36, and minimum motion or agitation of each chain is to be found at its remote end. Thus most eflicient operation of the apparatus is to be had if installed to permit its upper end to be subjected to maximum fouling conditions.

In addition to the cleaning action imparted to the chain elements 35 by the action of a hammer upon the anvil 42, a limited degree of continuous movement is imparted to the suspended chains by the flow of the several fluids through the shell 10 and in contact with the chains and by the movement of the rotor.

Thus the spacing between suspended chains is continuously changing by a limited degree, and adjacent chains help to systematically abrade deposits not otherwise removed by the jarring action imparted to the support grid.

We claim:

1. Regenerative heat exchange apparatus having an upright shell divided by partitions into a series of upright compartments, inlet and outlet ducts in said apparatus for a heating fluid and a fluid to be heated, perforate support means adjacent the upper end of said compartments extending substantially normal to the vertical axis of said shell, and a multiplicity of chain-like elements depending from said perforate support means and extending to the lower end of said shell adapted to absorb heat from the heating fluid and transfer it to the cooler fluid as it flows through the compartments, and means operative to sequentially strike said support means of said series of compartments thereby agitating the chain-like elements depending therefrom and jarring loose particulate material deposited on said chains.

2. Regenerative heat exchange apparatus having an upright shell joined to a central rotor post by radial partitions to form a series of sector-shaped compartments therebetween, a housing surrounding the rotor shell in spaced relation to provide an annular plenum chamber therebetween, apertured end plates at opposite ends of said housing arranged to direct a heating fluid and a fluid to be heated through spaced parts of said rotor, means for rotating the rotor about its axis, a support grid extending across the upper portion of each compartment having an anvil portion traversing an opening in said rotor shell to terminate in the annular plenum chamber between the rotor shell and rotor housing, a

multiplicity of chain-like elements in each compartment depending from said support grid, means resiliently biasing said grid radially outward, and means adapted to agitate said chain-like elements when the rotor is rotated about its axis by striking said anvil a generally radially inward directed blow 3. Regenerative heat exchange apparatus having an upright shell joined to a central rotor post by radial partitions to form a series of sector-shaped compartments therebetween, apertured end plates at opposite ends of spaced relation to provide an annular plenum chamber therebetween, apertured end plates at opposite ends of thehousing arranged to direct a heating fluid and a fluid to be heated through spaced parts of the rotor, means for rotating the rotor about its axis, bracket means aflixed to the upper end of each radial partition, a support grid lying on said brackets having an anvil portion traversing an opening in the rotor shell and terminating in the annular chamber between the rotor shell and the rotor housing, a multiplicity of chain-like elements in each compartment depending loosely from said support grid and terminating adjacent the lower end of said rotor shell, and a hammer means mounted on said housing adapted to engage said anvil and impart a rapping motion to the grid supporting said chain-like elements.

4. Regenerative heat exchange apparatus having an upright shell joined to a central rotor post by radial partitions to form a series of sector-shaped compartments therebetween, a housing surrounding the rotor shell in spaced relation to provide an annular plenum chamber therebetween, apertured end plates at opposite ends of the housing arranged to direct a heating fluid and a fluid to be heated through spaced parts of the rotor, means for rotating the rotor about its axis, bracket means affixed to the upper end of each radial partition, a support grid lying on said brackets having an anvil portion traversing an opening in the rotor shell and terminating in the annular chamber between the rotor shell and the rotor housing, a multiplicity of chain-like elements in each compartment depending loosely from said support grid and terminating adjacent the lower end of said rotor shell, means resiliently biasing said grid radially outward, and a hammer means mounted on said housing adapted to engage said anvil and impart a radially inward directed Trapping motion to the grid supporting said chain-like elements.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,955,277 4/1934 Fasting 263 -33 2,122,176 6/1938 Herbeck 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 571,283 2/1933 Germany.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

T. W, STREULE, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. REGENERATIVE HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS HAVING AN UPRIGHT SHELL DIVIDED BY PARTITIONS INTO A SERIES OF UPRIGHT COMPARTMENTS, INLET AND OUTLET DUCTS IN SAID APPARATUS FOR A HEATING FLUID AND A FLUID TO BE HEATED, PERFORATE SUPPORT MEANS ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF SAID COMPARTMENTS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE VERTICAL AXIS OF SAID SHELL, AND A MULTIPLICITY OF CHAIN-LIKE ELEMENTS DEPENDING FROM SAID PERFORATE SUPPORT MEANS AND EXTENDING TO THE LOWER END OF SAID SHELL ADAPTED TO ABSORB HEAT FROM THE HEATING FLUID AND TRANSFER IT TO THE COOLER FLUID AS IT FLOWS THROUGH THE COMPARTMENTS, AND MEANS OPERATIVE TO SEQUENTIALLY STRIKE AND SUPPORT MEANS OF SAID SERIES OF COMPARTMENTS THEREBY AGITATING THE CHAIN-LIKE ELEMENTS DEPENDING THEREFROM AND JARRING LOOSE PARTICULATE MATERIAL DEPOSITED ON SAID CHAINS. 